ABOUT SOULNOTE
THE BRAND AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT
SOULNOTE is a high-end home audio brand by CSR, Inc., headquartered in Kanagawa, Japan. CSR was founded in 2004 by former Marantz Japan engineers and today employs around 50 people. Hideki Kato, Chief Sound Manager since 2016, brings decades of experience dating back to the late 1980s. He played a significant role in developing NEC’s legendary A-10 amplifiers as well as Philips’ LHH series, although he often remained behind the scenes.
SOULNOTE’s first introduction to the European market took place several years ago with models such as the SA300, SC300, SD300, SC710, and SA730.
The current product lineup, however, is based on an entirely new design philosophy — fundamentally different from the generations before it.
SOULNOTE’S DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
Throughout his long career designing both analog and digital audio equipment, Kato repeatedly questioned why improvements in static performance did not always align with perceived sound quality during playback. He formulated a hypothesis around a contrasting concept he called dynamic performance.
The introduction of the NOS mode (Non-Oversampling) for PCM playback in digital-to-analog conversion, as well as SOULNOTE’s non-NFB amplifier designs, are rooted in this idea. While these choices may degrade conventional static measurements, they result in remarkable improvements in dynamic performance.
SOULNOTE regards dynamic performance — while preserving the accuracy of the original waveform in the time domain — as the most essential aspect of musical reproduction. This, however, cannot be measured using traditional methods. At SOULNOTE, listening itself takes precedence in shaping and refining circuitry, selecting components, and developing mechanical construction. This approach serves as a kind of antithesis to the dominance of static performance metrics.
GLOBAL PRESENCE
SOULNOTE is trusted by discerning listeners and partners around the world. Our distributors share our commitment to authentic sound, precision engineering, and timeless design — ensuring every note reaches you in its purest form, wherever you are.